SUNY Plattsburgh Commended, Reaccredited by Middle States Commission

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has officially reaffirmed accreditation for SUNY Plattsburgh for another 10 years (2012 – 2022). In a letter to College President John Ettling announcing the reaccreditation, Dr. Barbara Gitenstein, MSCHE chair, said the commission reaffirmed accreditation of SUNY Plattsburgh at its June 28 meeting and commended the college “for the quality of the self-study report and the quality of the self-study process.”

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is the unit of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in the Middle States region — the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several locations internationally.

Accreditation is a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education institutions. While the commission examines each institution as a whole rather than specific programs, accreditation is also necessary if a college or university wants its students to obtain loans and grants from the federal government through the Student Assistance Programs in Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

SUNY Plattsburgh completed a nearly two-year review of the college culminating in a self-study report that was issued to the Middle States Commission in early February 2012. A team of 12 external reviewers then spent three days on campus in late March to evaluate the college in accordance with Middle States standards.

Throughout its report to the full Commission, the visiting team identified several significant accomplishments at SUNY Plattsburgh. For example:

The college has developed a culture of student support. Caring for the well-being of all students is evident in the daily activities of the college staff and faculty.

The faculty’s willingness to work with the administration and assume changes in conditions of employment during hard economic times is an exceptional example of collegial behavior and shared responsibility.

The college should be commended for its programming for the Educational Opportunities Program and other supports for students identified to be at risk. The staff is committed to student success and to the ongoing incorporation of assessment results to improve the program.

There has been exceptional stability within the college administration. Extended service alone is not an indication of success, but the results of the CESTA survey completed by faculty and staff between 2000 and 2010 indicate a significant increase in satisfaction with the work being done by the administration.

SUNY Plattsburgh will submit a Periodic Review Report by June 1, 2017. Its next self-study evaluation will occur in 2012-2022.